10/02/2006****SEE NEW POST with MORE developments:

10/02/2006****PLOT THICKENS ****See last update:

As I’m a constituent of Rep. Mark Foley, I’ve been keeping up on this story about his alledged computer sex with a sixteen year old male page. In light of the fact that he resigned it’s obvious that the incidents took place. But there are many, many questions about this that need to be looked at.

First, I don’t condone these kinds of actions in anyway. I’m former law enforcement and even worked to help capture child predators on the internet before people even knew what that was, so I’m not defending Foley. However watching the news coverage today I have to wonder about a few things, and got to checking around.

Although not confirmed, it’s being thrown around that ABC’s primary source for the computer chats and emails is the liberal watch dog group CREW.

Significant, because while there is a story about how the GOP leadership knew of Foley’s actions for at least a year, after which he was ordered to stop contact with the teen, there reports that CREW also knew of the allegations months ago. In fact according to reports, CREW had contacted the FBI, and were waiting to go public when ABC posted the story. So the obvious question is “Why wait”? I think it’s obvious they were waiting to have the greatest effect.

It is interesting that CREW now is calling for an independent counsel to look into – not Foley – but the GOP leadership. This less than fourty-eight hours after his resignation. Pretty darn quick I would say, since the facts are still coming out. It’s almost like they had it all ….like, planned.

It’s also interesting to note that for the chat transcripts to be available for us to read they had to have been purposely logged, or in the case of text messages, saved. Again, ordinarily this is done in criminal investigations to obtain and preserve evidence. However, it’s not something one would necessarily do otherwise. Just from my observation reading one of the chats from one of the pages indicates responses that “knowleable, graphic and leading. In other words, not the “normal responses of someone who is being approached”. This is the kind of tactic we used in law enforcement when you are trying to corale these kinds of people.

So the point-blank question I have is was at some point the teen in the more graphic posted chats “coached” by someone? If so, by whom?

Again, while I do not condone his behavior – as there is no defense for it, something just doesn’t seem right about all this. Make no mistake, entrapped or not Foley should be prosecuted for his actions espeically in light of his end of the conversation, and in light of his position. Yet it does seem that there is much, much more here than meets the eye to this story and much more to come to light.

UPDATE: A DOJ friend of mine throws this wrench into the mix. He notes that in DC the age of consent is 16, which at least the cases such in the transcript where it looked consensual, legally there wouldn’t be anything to charge him with.

He’s right.

UPDATE: In light of hysterical conservatives calling for Denny’s head, Say Anything gives them a chill pill for now.

UPDATE II: I’m not alone in my suspicions. Rick Moran writes:

“My good friend and fellow American Thinker contributor Clarice Feldman left a comment that deserves to be elevated for greater readability. It is, something of an eye popper:

Reportedly the St Pete Times had the same information in August 2005 and wrote nothing about it either, apparently because the emails do not constitute illegal conduct, they are just creepy, and the boy’s parents did not wish to pursue this.

The far more damaging IM messages were released by CREW , the same “public interest” group which is representing the Wilson/Plames in their laughable suit against Cheney, et al.

When did they get the IM’s? Why did they wait until now to release them? Is there any indication the Republicans who looked into THIS MATTER had any knowledge of their(the IM’s) existence.

Pardon an old lady’s suspicions. I’ve seen this dance too many times before.

I read this morning that a Monroe, LA newspaper also had the story and didn’t run with it because there appeared to be no impropriety.

And one more point that our dimwitted lefty friends can‚Äôt seem to wrap their miniscule brains around; the incident that was brought to the attention of the Page Board is unconnected to any of the raunchy, sick emails ABC news got from, as Clarice informs us, CREW.”

Seems CREW has some explaining to do.

UPDATE III: CREW is a George Soros funded organization, but there is more:

“From 1995 to 1998, CREW‚Äôs Melanie Sloan served as minority counsel for the House Judiciary Committee under Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). Before that, Sloan served as the nominations counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee under Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.).

According to GOP research, Mark Penn, who had been a pollster for President Clinton, and Daniel Berger, a major Democratic donor, are on CREW‚Äôs board. Spokeswoman Naomi Seligman declined several requests to reveal the membership of CREW‚Äôs board, although she confirmed that Penn and Berger are members. Last year, Berger made a $100,000 contribution to America Coming Together (ACT), a 527 group that was dedicated to defeating Bush in the presidential election, according to politicalmoneyline.com, a website that tracks fundraising.”

So we have a person who served under Clinton, and Rep. “Inpeachment” Conyers, who just “happened” to obtain emails and chats and “holding them” to just six weeks out of a midterm election where IF Democrats gain control of Congress, said Rep. Conyers has promised to impeach President Bush. More here.

Right. CREW was also instrumental behind the “get Delay” effort. More on CREW here. By Sloan’s admission, when she came on board at CREW her “mission” (before anything was known) was to “get Tom Delay”.

However, if CREW did indeed withhold evidence against Rep. Foley, for any length of time, they may have stepped over the line. In any case, I think they are going to have some explaining to do.

UPDATE IV: Mark Levin is asking questions as well.

UPDATE V: Now a former page is saying that he rang the bell five years ago.

“A Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.

Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor in the House Clerk’s office.

Really? Well it’s amazing that Matthew never mentioned this warning on his message boards. Pretty small bell don’t you think?

UPDATE VI: Well, appears ole Matthew has taken his Message Board offline (this within the last hour). His message:

“Because of the current situation. I am shutting down the board until I can provide a proper statement about my part in what has been going on. I appreciate your patience.
If you are the board administrator, you can log in below and begin setting up your new board”

Prior to this you could search the archives, and you would have found NO reference to any warning about Representative Foley as I previously noted above. Apparently that is most embarrassing to this “page” who is telling ABC News that he was “warned” about Foley five years ago, YET NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ON HIS MESSAGE BOARD. So we are to believe that Matthew kept this information “secret” and just happened to remember it now?

Right!

This just keeps getting better. Running some checks on “Matthew” now, I’ll keep you updated. Meanwhile check out Rick Moran again with a newpost for more on other developments.

Also Tom Maguire on the case as well.

UPDATE V: After checking up on Mr. Loraditch, I found out you can find him rather easily as I traced him to his email mloraditch@yahoo.com. Apparently he’s a uber geek, trek fan, etc, with lots of posts throughout the tech-sphere.

UPDATE VI: Well now, seems the story changes at least as it appears in today’s NY Times:

“Matthew Loraditch, who worked as a page with Ms. Gallo and Mr. McDonald in 2001 and 2002, said a supervisor had once casually mentioned that Mr. Foley ‚Äúwas odd‚Äù and that he later saw sexually explicit text messages that Mr. Foley had sent to two former pages after they left the program.

But Mr. Loraditch said he was never warned by program supervisors to stay away from him. “He was friendly,” said Mr. Loraditch, who maintains a Web site for alumni and attends Towson University in Maryland. “He would talk to us more than some other members would.”

Mr. Loraditch said he still remembers the speech Mr. Foley gave to the pages in 2002. The genial lawmaker stood on the floor of the House and noted that several young pages were weeping as he spoke.

“You all have proven without a doubt that you are not only courageous Americans but wonderful young people,” Mr. Foley said on June 6, 2002. “I salute you and I thank you and I hope you will join me too in saluting everyone in the page program that has made this year a resounding, phenomenal learning experience and success for you. God bless you all.”

This much more “toned down” than the story he gave on ABC NEWS, where he was told to “watch out”. Which is it Matthew? Were you guys warned, or not?